Kansai International Outdoor Club
Newsletter September 2004
Contents:
- Introduction
- September events
- Haibara-Utano-Higashi Yoshino-Yagi, submitted by Chris
- Beginners Cycle in Kyoto, submitted by Elizabeth
- Shirouma-dake, submitted by Ivan
- Kayaking in Wachi, Kyoto, submitted by Jacquelyn
- Yoshino Cycle, submitted by Claire
- Event reviews
- October events
- Halloween
Introduction
Hello everyone,
Welcome to autumn! I don’t know about you, but autumn is definitely my favorite season of the year. I’m glad to see the end of the hot and sticky Japanese summer. I love this season because we have nice mild weather left over from the end of summer. However, that’s not the only reason. What really makes it special is the beautiful colors of the trees right before the leaves fall. Autumn in Japan is unlike any other autumn I’ve experienced in my life. The beauty of nature is absolutely spectacular. It is also perfect biking and hiking weather, so be sure to pack your camera when you go! If you don’t want to lead your own event, just sign up for someone else’s. Come out and enjoy the autumn leaves with us all!
As you may know, the future of the newsletter was looking in doubt recently. No event reviews from members made it all seem a little pointless. I’m glad to say that as a result of the discussion at the September meeting, the newsletter is definitely here to stay. I would also like to take this opportunity to express a HUGE THANK YOU to Chris, Elizabeth, Ivan and Jacquelyn for submitting event reviews. Your articles are greatly appreciated, not only by me, but by all our members. They make a thoroughly enjoyable read. Through your articles we can hear about the events we didn’t go to, and can relive the memories of those we did.
September Events
The September meeting was very well attended, and Estella gave a wonderful presentation on her and Koji’s summer cycling trip in Ireland. It was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.
On the same day, Chris led a two-star cycling event beginning in Haibara, through inaka, up several hills, finally ending in Yagi.
The following day Shinobu and Ivan had a one-star cycling event for beginners. It was held in Kyoto and was a great introduction to biking for newcomers to the sport.
Koji planned an unforgettable Hakuba Shirouma-dake trek in the Japan Alps, Nagano. It was a three day event, starting September 17th on the midnight bus to Hakuba, and arriving home on the Monday evening. There was spectacular scenery and camping at a whopping 2900m above sea level!
On the 25th, Chris lead another great cycle. This time we began in Tsubosakayama, stopping at Takatori Castle (to Lars’ delight!) and onwards to Yoshino.
Yuri invited us on a kayaking trip on the Wachi river, in northern Kyoto. It was a trip suitable for beginners, against a backdrop of fantastic scenery.
Event Reviews
What: Two-star Cycling event
When: Saturday 11th September
Where: Haibara – Utano – Higashi – Yoshino - Yagi
Leader: Chris
Participants: Claire. Esther, Jeremy, Kaori, Koji, Oliver.
Submitted by Chris
This was a nice 2 star ride through the Nara countryside. The weather was pretty good - cloudy in the morning with a brief shower after lunch, finishing in glorious sunshine. The route winds through the back roads around Haibara among the rice fields and villages then climbs into the forests and down to Takamiyama hot spring. We had a nice lunch there, and then followed the Kizugawa river down to Higashi Yoshino mura. This is a beautiful river valley with many swimming holes, and the water is very clean. The river feeds into the Yoshino river, which we followed before turning off towards lake Tsuburo. The road around the lake is another great section, very little traffic and some great views. After that we climbed over the mountains to get back to the Nara plain. This is the most challenging section of the course, but it's worth it for the view of the mountain ranges of South Nara, and the lovely long downhill run to Asuka the other side. The Spider lilies (Higanbana) are in bloom at the moment, glorious red flowers which make a wonderful contrast with the golden rice in the fields ready for harvest. We finally got back to Yagi station just before 6pm tired but happy!
Ride Impressions
Jeremy -
Well, I can certainly say that the river gorge we were riding through was one of the most beautiful places I've been in Japan. The Sugi and Hinoki trees enshrouded by fog were reminiscent of the groves of Giant Redwoods I often ride through in my own part of the world. The terraced rice fields and spider lilies also made for a fantastic view like nothing I'd seen before. And those nice little villages... it was like Oliver said, that we expected to come around the next corner and come face to face with the Last Samurai.
Kaori -
Thanks for Sat riding in Haibara! I always get great experiences with
your trips.
It was wonderful and awesome experience on the path in the mountains.
We didn’t see anyone except ourselves. A quiet and fresh breeze. I realized the air has become Autumn already. We saw big red flowers everywhere in Asuka. Good to bike ride to know the season has changed.
Esther -
Thank you very much for leading us on Saturday through the beautiful nature in Nara Pref. It was a great ride, I enjoy myself a lot. Thanks!
Oliver -
My major impression was to see real nature in Japan. I enjoyed meeting people who are interested in being outdoors as well and to have a day off in nature, without noise, cars, masses of people and concrete, which is usually omnipresent in Japan. It was beautiful to see rural sides in Japan.
Claire –
Wow! It was a fantastic cycle; I enjoyed it immensely (despite what I was saying half way up the last hill!). We cycled through rural heaven, the bright green of the rice fields bordered by the glowing red of the Spider lilies; fresh air; the smell of the trees; fish in the rivers; delicious noodles; a village festival. It was so good to spend a whole day in the midst of everything I love about Japan. This was my first cycle for quite some time and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for being so patient while I was negotiating those mountains. Cheers!
What: Beginners Cycle
When: September 12th
Where: Kyoto
Leader: Shinobu
Submitted by Elizabeth Merchant
On Sunday, September 12, Shinobu led a large group on a beginner's cycling event. The group met at JR Kyoto Station and rented bikes from a nearby cycle shop. Our fearless leader led us on a tour of Northern Kyoto along the Katsura River, past rice paddies ready for harvest and large vegetable gardens. After a short while, the group made its way to scenic Arashiyama, where we stopped for some Goma Tofu and Ice Cream. The next part of the trip was a bit more challenging, up hills leading us to Narutaki. We stopped for lunch and enjoyed the sounds of the river and some great conversation. Next, we worked our way up to Takao. At this point, all of us were looking forward to our stop at the Funaoka Onsen in Kyoto. Feeling refreshed after a good soaking, we followed the Kamo River and enjoyed the cool evening breezes. We dropped off our bikes at the bike shop, and then went to take part in another fun activity - dinner! The group (Chinatsu, Kei, Wendy, Junko, Sachiyo, Yoshimi, Kim, Koji, Ivan, Elizabeth and the Shinobunator) thoroughly enjoyed the event. A hearty thanks goes out from all of us to Shinobu for arranging the trip.
The photo is of us enjoying lunch at Narutaki.
What: Three-star trekking event
Where: Shirouma-dake
When: September 16th
Submitted by Ivan Breen
On September 16th, eleven IOC members, led by Koji Otani, boarded a night bus in Kansai and began what would become one of the most exciting and spectacular IOC hikes in recent memory. Arriving the next morning in the village of Hakuba, after barely any sleep the night before on the night bus, our team gazed towards the spectacular northern Japanese Alps. After a short shuttle bus ride to the trailhead, each of us donned our heavy backpacks. As we took our first few steps into the spectacular mountain wonderland, we took a quick look back at cars and pavement, and then, we were gone.
The first day was a long trek up a spectacular river gorge. The way was steep at times, and we even had to cross a large snowfield at one point, but everyone rose to the challenge. With rain clouds hot on our tail, each of us crested the top of the gorge, bringing us above timberline, and high up on a mountain plateau. Our camp was nestled between a number of rugged peaks, which we hoped would protect us in the event of rain and wind. Setting up camp quickly, we made dinner, drank tea, and joked about what the weather might do. Just as the last member of our team took their last bite of food, we all heard that unmistakable sound of something liquid hitting the nylon of our tents. “Pap!”….”Pap!”..”Pap!” It was rain, that four letter word we didn’t dare mention aloud earlier in the day. We all ran for cover in the only place we could, our tents. Everyone prepared themselves for a cozy night of listening to the rain, or so we thought. By 11:00 pm, the wind had picked up. By 12:00 am, all of our tents were flapping uncontrollably as if a helicopter had decided to hover over us in the middle of the night. This problem was compounded by the pouring rain, which proceeded to work its way through the fabric of our tents and onto us. At 2:30 am, the tent I was in collapsed, and I had the pleasure of putting on wet raingear and having to go outside to set the tent back up. The rest of the night was spent holding on to the tent walls to keep it from collapsing again and dodging rain drops, which were launched at us by the rapidly flapping tent walls. At dawn, our tent collapsed again, and we made the decision to pack everything up then and there and head for the mountain hut, which was serving hot tea and coffee. One by one, our team members trickled into the hut, cold, wet, and deprived of sleep. When everyone was accounted for, we had to make a decision on whether to continue with our original route plan or call it quits and head down to a warm hotel room in the village of Hakuba. At 10:00 am, our fearless leader, Koji Otani, spoke. We would continue on with our original route plan. Donning our wet gear, we prepared ourselves both physically and mentally for the day’s challenges that lay ahead. Would the weather clear? Would we be able to get our gear dry for the next night? What if we got pinned down by worse weather high up on the ridge? As we took our first steps out of the hut, we were met with more of the same from the night before…more rain and more wind. We made our way slowly, trying to keep our heads clear from what had been a near sleepless night before. Amazingly however, just as we reached the summit of Shirouma-dake, the weather began to make a change for the better. It was as if the gods had finally taken pity on us. Our determination not to let the weather get the best of us had paid off. The clouds began to clear, and we were met with the most spectacular alpine scenery I have ever seen in Japan. Our eyes scanned a landscape rich with craggy rock peaks and majestic green mountains. To the north lay a forested slope showing its first fall colors. What a reward after such misery the night before.
The rest of the day was spent running the ridge between Shirouma-dake and Hakuba-oike. The ridge seemed endless, and the views were magnificent. I think all would agree this day was one of the best days of our lives. As we reached the second night’s camp around 2:30 pm, tired but inspired, we were met by warm sunshine and the warm smiles of our team members. Realizing we only had about three hours of daylight left, we got to work drying our gear. We laid everything we had out on the open ground, making our campsite look as if 11 “gear bombs” had gone off around us. While our gear was drying, all of us took a rest and took in the scenery around us. Some of us even took a swim! As the sun set, “Wild Man Rolf” invited others to join him for a dip in the lake. We all thought he was kidding at first, but one glance at his wife Chinatsu’s face told us this was no joke. Rolf said it was a “German thing” and explained that many people from Germany enjoyed swimming in very cold water. With no hesitation after his explanation, Rolf charged right into the lake. He resurfaced to cries of disbelief. He took it all in stride, dried himself off, and got dressed. Afterwards, Rolf broke out his stove and treated us to another German tradition, “Gluehwine.” For those of you not familiar, Gluehwine is hot red wine seasoned with a variety of spices. We all gathered around the Gluehwine pot as the stars made their way out, one by one. Our efforts to gaze the heavens above were rewarded with numerous satellite and meteor sightings, not to mention the Milky Way. I had never seen stars like the ones we saw that night. Full of dinner and Gluehwine, we all made our way to our tents for a long, well-deserved sleep. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
The next morning, we made our way down early in order to catch the bus home. At the trail’s end lay an onsen specifically designed for hikers. We wasted no time getting in and cleaning up. Afterwards, we all hung out in the onsen’s lounge, getting massages from the massage chairs and drinking beers from the vending machine. What a perfect way to end a nearly perfect trip that we will never forget!
What: Kayaking
Where: Wachi, Kyoto
When: Sat. Sept. 25, 2004
Leader: Yuri
Participants: Yoshimi, Chinatsu, Jacquelyn, Elizabeth, Dan, Keiko, Charlie, Ruth, Andrea, Becca, Namiko, Miwa, Kuriko and two of Namiko’s friends.
Submitted by Jacquelyn Elliott
The day started out sunny enough, even if there were a few clouds in
Kobe's morning sky. As we drove north, we couldn't help but laugh and
worry a bit at the same time because with each of the many tunnels we
exited, the sky darkened, then we met a sprinkling of rain, then
heavier rain, then rain with fog. But Yoshimi was confident that the
rain was only in Hyogo, not Kyoto where the kayaking was to be done and
sure enough, he was right on target. With some members coming by
train, everyone met at the kayak livery and after introductions we
donned helmets and life jackets before beginning the instruction. We
learned how to hold and rotate the paddle properly, get in and out of
the kayak while keeping our center of gravity low and the kayak steady
as well as what to do should we tip over. Okay, into the water and the
rest of the morning was spent practicing trying to paddle in a straight
line, recovering from a sudden U-turn as driven by the current and just
generally getting the hang of things in this new world of water
adventure. After a while, Yuri, our leader for this event suggested
that we go ashore and have lunch. There was an outdoor BBQ restaurant
nearby so we headed there to enjoy a leisurely meal. Around the
grill, we had a chance to get to know one another better while cooking
our fish, meat and vegetables.
The afternoon turned out to be the highlight of the day. The instructor took us farther upstream and let us challenge the rapids. However, it turned out to be a glorified game of bumper cars in kayaks with 15 novice paddlers fighting the stronger current and trying to avoid the congestion of the others doing the
same thing. It was a great deal of fun and many succeeded in paddling
into the rapids and shooting downstream several times. One could tell
when arms tired and energy ran out as one by one people let the current
carry them back downstream. As the afternoon wore on kayakers became
scattered all over the river, holding a steady position while taking in
the view of the beautiful bamboo that lined the riverbanks, the curves
of the mountains beyond and the fresh smell of the country air, all to
the relaxing sound of the flowing river. A bit of shopping for local
products and farewells all the way around before we headed our separate
ways home. Great sighs of content could be heard as we said our
goodbyes and parted from one another. A good time was had by all!
What: Two-star cycle
Where: Yoshino Cycle
When: 25th September
Leader: Chris
Participants: Koji, Kei, Ivan, Scott, Lars, Claire
Submitted by Claire
The morning started well, with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies. We met at the train station in Tsubosakayama. Managing to get myself there was an achievement all in itself, but I had the entire train carriage rallying around me, and so I finally arrived at the right station.
After slapping on half a bottle of sun cream (damn my fair skin!), and waiting for everyone to assemble their bikes, we were ready to leave. We cycled through narrow streets lined with tiny houses. I had great fun trying to catch a glimpse through the doorways of traditional Japanese homes. Anyway, it wasn’t long before the road started to slope upwards. Not too happy with this turn of events, I never-the-less peddled onwards. The others, being uber fit supermen, powered up the hill in no time. Just as I was about to give up, I rounded the corner and saw everyone waiting for me. I had made it, hurray! But actually, no I hadn’t. That was the half way point and there was another road, another very steep road, which needed to be conquered. The Mr Universes once again shot off into the distance, while I decided to turn the cycling event into a hiking event and wheeled my bike up the worst of it. I didn’t wheel it all the way up I hasten to add, because a thought had suddenly struck me. There are two sets of gear levers. I usually use the one on the right…but what would happen if I used the one on the left? Lo and behold, it suddenly became a whole lot easer to peddle. It was a miracle! This new discovery was about to revolutionize my life. It turns out that you don’t need to have the leg muscles of Arnold Schwarzenegger to cycle uphill. You need to find the right gear, one that’s comfortable for you, and the other ingredient is patience (as Chris had previously tried to tell me). Just keep peddling and sooner (or, more often than not, later) you’ll get to the top. With this new found knowledge, I made my way up to Takatori Castle.
For the new members among us, you may not yet be aware that Takatori has a special place in the IOC’s heart, for it was at this very spot that Lars had his famous accident. Lars himself was part of this cycling expedition, so this was a chance for him to see what he didn’t last year. The castle ruins were amazing. The sheer size of the castle must have been sight to behold back in the day. Nowadays, only the mossy stone structures remain but the views from the top were spectacular.
It was soon time to move on, so we hopped on our bikes for an adrenalin rush downhill race, which definitely made the previous uphill struggle totally worthwhile. We continued onwards, through tiny villages, along a crystal clear river, through rice fields and vegetable patches, eventually ending up in Yoshino. Once again, faced with a huge hill, I clicked my left gear lever and began the ascent. It was half way up this hill, miles behind everyone else, sweat pouring off me like a waterfall, face the color of beetroot, hair all over the place like I’d been dragged through a bush backwards, that I met one of the teachers from my school. Perfect! Needless to say, I was the source of great amusement in the staffroom the following Monday. However, I felt far superior, safe in the knowledge that I got there on my own power, instead of sitting in a car all morning polluting the beautiful fresh air. Anyway, I digress. We had a delicious lunch in a nearby restaurant (at the top of the hill) and then we set off again for more of the same.
I’m not too sure where exactly we went next, because I had my head down and was concentrating on peddling, but I can tell you for sure that it was uphill. When I eventually made it to the top, far behind everyone else, the heavens open before I had a chance to take out my camera. The view was amazing, however, due to the fact that there wasn’t anything to see. We were up in the clouds! The rain pelted us as we made our way down the mountain, but I must admit that the cooling effect of the drops were most welcome.
Afterwards, there was a trip to an onsen and some hot anko from a street stall. Yum!
Although I’ve mentioned the uphill parts of the ride at length, I must say that I really did enjoy myself completely. I’m only a beginner cyclist, and for this reason was quite slow, but the group was really nice about it and didn’t complain about having to wait at all. I love cycling and want to get better, and going on rides like this really helps. Riding with a bunch of people forces me to push myself and they offer encouragement when the going gets tough. To anyone else out there thinking about taking up cycling, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s a brilliant way to see Japan, and you really feel like you’ve accomplished something at the end of the day. (And the speed rush going downhill feels so good, it should be illegal!)
October Events
Fancy some hiking and camping? Well if so, the weekend of October 9th to 11th is for you! In a joint IOC/IAC event, you can hike your way through the Japan Alps in the midst of autumn foliate at its finest. Want to know more? All details are on the webpage.
Well it’s that time of the year again folks. The Annual Momoi Camp Out! Just under half the members of the club managed to sign up in time, meaning this will be one of *the* major events of 2004 ! A whooping 31 members will be joining doing either hiking or biking - there will surely be something for everyone. Check the webpage for further details!
Scale Honosen, the highest mountain in the Hyogo prefecture. It’s 1510m and the hike takes place on the Halloween weekend of October 30th and 31st. As usual, all details are here: http://IOCkansai.com/event/month/2004_10/
Halloween
Halloween is an old Celtic celebration that is now famous all over the world.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
• 2 large eggs• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 16oz. can pumpkin (NOT canned pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 12oz. can evaporated milk
Beat eggs slightly; beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into an unbaked, 9 inch pie shell. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes more or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. (If the crust starts turning too dark, cover the edge of the pie with foil strips.)
Halloween Fun Facts
Halloween is originally a Celtic celebration. Being an Irish person, I thought I’d share a few fun facts with you all to help you celebrate the festival properly.
The Pumpkin: Carving Pumpkins dates back to the eighteenth century and to an Irish blacksmith named Jack who colluded with the Devil and was denied entry to Heaven. He was condemned to wander the earth but asked the Devil for some light. He was given a burning coal ember which he placed inside a turnip that he had gouged out.
The tradition of Jack O'Lanterns was born - the bearer being the wandering blacksmith - a damned soul. Villagers in Ireland hoped that the lantern in their window would keep the wanderer away. When the Irish emigrated in millions to America there was not a great supply of turnips so pumpkins were used instead.
The Bonfire: The Halloween bonfire is a tradition to encourage dreams of who your future husband or wife is going to be. The idea was to drop a cutting of your hair into the burning embers and then dream of you future loved one
Bob the Apple: This is a traditional Halloween game called Bob the Apple. Fill a basin with cold water, and throw in a number of apples. Each player then has to keep his hands behind his back, and try to grab an apple with his teeth. Anyone who succeeds in grabbing an apple wins a prize!
Colcannon: Traditional dinner on Halloween is called Colcannon. It consists of boiled potato, curly kale (a cabbage) and raw onions all mixed together. Clean coins are wrapped in baking paper and placed in the potato for children to find and keep.
The Barmbrack Cake: The traditional Halloween cake in Ireland is the barmbrack, which is a fruit bread. Each member of the family gets a slice. Great interest is taken in the outcome as there is a piece of rag, a coin and a ring in each cake. If you get the rag then your financial future is doubtful. If you get the coin then you can look forward to a prosperous year. Getting the ring is a sure sign of impending romance or continued happiness.
The Ivy Leaf: Each member of the family places a perfect ivy leaf into a cup of water and it is then left undisturbed overnight. If, in the morning, a leaf is still perfect and has not developed any spots then the person who placed the leaf in the cup can be sure of 12 months health until the following Halloween. If not.....
Well that’s all folks. Have a great October and a Happy Halloween. I hope to see you at an IOC event really soon! (If not, then at the Loop Line Halloween Party instead!)
Any articles or reviews for future newsletters should be sent to newsletter@IOCkansai.com
Over and out.
